Please help us continue to provide you with free, quality journalism by turning off your ad blocker on our site.

Thank you for signing in.

If this is your first time registering, please check your inbox for more information about the benefits of your Forbes account and what you can do next!

I agree to receive occasional updates and announcements about Forbes products and services. You may opt out at any time.

I'd like to receive the Forbes Daily Dozen newsletter to get the top 12 headlines every morning.

Forbes takes privacy seriously and is committed to transparency. We will never share your email address with third parties without your permission. By signing in, you are indicating that you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Statement.

It is often a void in the marketplace that sparks an entrepreneur’s ingenuity to create a solution. When Sharelle Klaus, a single mother of four, was searching for a sophisticated non-alcoholic beverage that wasn’t cloyingly sweet or made with artificial flavors she realized that the ultra-competitive beverage market lacked one so she decided to make one of her own—starting in her kitchen.

Photo courtesy of DRY Soda Co.

In 2005, Klaus launched DRY Soda Co., which has quickly become a disruptor in the sparkling beverage sector proving that it is never too late to reinvent yourself or a marketplace when you create a top-notch product.

Klaus, who is CEO and Founder, has always had a passion for the culinary world, enjoying each part of the meal including pairing a beverage that compliments the flavors of the dish. Klaus tells me, “I wanted a flavor-forward beverage that could compete with a great glass of wine or a premium cocktail but could also pair with oysters or a nice cut of steak. After several experiments with extracts, syrups, home carbonators and help from a few chefs and friends in Food & Beverage. The first flavors were both nostalgic and supremely interesting: Lavender, Lemongrass, Rhubarb, and Kumquat. I knew we were onto something when not far out of the gate DRY became available in some of the nation’s finest restaurants. When The French Laundry starting carrying DRY, it was a foodie’s dream come true”.

Klaus launched her company by taking out a $15,000 home equity line of credit, but shares with me, “We were also lucky to have some great investors including Golden Seeds out of New York (DRY was one of their first investments back in 2006), as well as a few Seattle-based investors”. Now sold in over 4,500 stores nationwide including Target and Kroger, DRY has become the fastest growing natural sparkling beverage brand in the country.

Photo of Sharelle Klaus, CEO & Founder of DRY Soda Co.

“When I started DRY, I was well aware that I was creating a whole new category of soda,” Klaus tells me. “I wanted DRY to be more delicious, elegant and sophisticated than any non-alcoholic beverage out there, so I had to challenge the notion that sodas have to be overly sweet and limited in flavors. It was so liberating to go beyond the typical flavors people can expect from sodas, too. I found inspiration in my garden, my favorite chefs, and some of my family’s most memorable dishes. We launched with Rhubarb, Lavender, Kumquat and Lemongrass, and since then, our lineup has only grown over the years”.

Photo courtesy of DRY Soda Co.

With a promise to never utilize artificial ingredients, DRY is made with just four all-natural ingredients, including only a touch of pure cane sugar allowing the true flavors of each herb and fruit to shine through. Klaus tells me, “Lavender was my first idea - it came to me when I was out in my garden and thinking about how great it would taste when paired with chocolate. Rhubarb was inspired by my grandmother, who made me rhubarb pies every summer from the rhubarb growing in her yard”. In addition to finding inspiration in her garden or her customer base (which shares ideas with Klaus weekly), over the years Klaus has worked with top chefs to either be involved in new flavor development, perfecting recipes or suggesting flavor ideas.

Photo courtesy of DRY Soda Co.

Klaus tells me, “Chef Jason Wilson of Seattle’s Crush Restaurant helped us develop Juniper DRY and Vanilla Bean DRY back in 2008 and Chef Richard Blais assisted us in the creation and refinement Rainier Cherry DRY in 2013. More recently, Chef Thierry Rautureau helped us build out our pairing list for this year’s two DRY summer flavors – Malali Watermelon and Serrano Pepper. We also love working with top mixologists to develop cocktails – including Charlotte Voisey who just pulled together a fabulous recipe with Vanilla Bean DRY Sparkling for Tales of the Cocktail, and top New York-based bartender Derrick Turner created a few recipes for our summer flavors this year.” Klaus also has some other exciting partnerships that she’s about to announce.

Photo courtesy of DRY Soda Co.

Klaus knew that if she was going to be a worthy accompaniment to meals at top restaurants across the US that she was going to have to procure the very best ingredients and create recipes that made those flavors shine. Klaus tells me, “Our flavors are probably our biggest differentiator. Our ingredients are clean and simple and each of our varieties is dedicated to a single flavor (versus a mix), so they are immediately recognizable when you try them”.

DRY comes in nine enticing flavors including seasonal flavors throughout the year. Klaus shares, “We launch new flavors fairly often with the change of seasons as a big inspiration for us. For example, we just released two summer flavors, Malali Watermelon DRY Sparkling and Serrano Pepper DRY Sparkling, which are available at select retailers from June-August 2016. This past April, we launched a Fuji Apple DRY Sparkling exclusively with Target and we’re now gearing up to announce some festive new flavors for the holiday season”.

Photo courtesy of DRY Soda Co.

We thoroughly enjoyed all of the DRY flavors, but a few standouts for us were Rainier Cherry, Malali Watermelon, Rhubarb, and Juniper Berry. When asked her favorite flavor and what dish she pairs the beverage with Klaus tells me, “It used to be that Lavender DRY was my favorite, but since the launch of Fuji Apple and our summer flavors, it’s really tough to say. A few of my go-to pairings include oysters with Blood Orange DRY and triple cream brie with Lavender DRY. I also love making guacamole, and our new summer seasonal flavor, Serrano Pepper, is so much fun to pair with it! Fuji Apple DRY Sparkling alongside fried chicken is also a fabulous treat”.

Photo courtesy of DRY Soda Co.

Since DRY’s launch, the company has been consistently building a loyal following of fans. What started off as a boutique brand selling mostly in white tablecloth restaurants and grocery stores in the Pacific Northwest quickly changed in 2013 when DRY got a national placement at Kroger. Klaus tells me, “This past year, we secured positioning on Target shelves nationwide, grew our space in Kroger and are currently launching our brand into the convenience store channel. Since day one, we have been patiently building, but we are growing very quickly now, and our YTD revenue for 2016 has already surpassed last year’s annual sales mark. In the last year alone, our business growth has included new strategic partnerships with Costco, Kroger, Target, and Starbucks, as well as APlus/Sunoco, 7-Eleven, and Holiday convenience stores”.

When asked about what she has learned about starting her own business that she could share with any budding entrepreneurs out there Klaus tells me, “I’ve learned that it’s important to be fearless and creative in your approach, especially in such a competitive industry. My top piece of advice for budding entrepreneurs would be to always listen to your instincts”.

It doesn’t matter whether you drink them on their own or pair them with your favorite dishes. But, if you are looking for must have cocktail recipes, here are Klaus’s top 3 favorites.

I am a serial entrepreneur or a serial masochist—depending on how you want to look at it. I typically bite off more than I can chew and that is the way I like it. My life

…

I am a serial entrepreneur or a serial masochist—depending on how you want to look at it. I typically bite off more than I can chew and that is the way I like it. My life ethos is to go big or go home. I appreciate beauty in all forms wherever I can find it. I thrive off of being underestimated, working outside my comfort zone, and have strong opinions that can make some people uncomfortable. I am a down to earth woman who does not have an illustrious pedigree, but I’ve worked my tail off to achieve everything that I have and that’s taught me to appreciate every luxury I’m privileged to experience. The American Dream is still alive and well if you choose to work hard enough for it.